Organisers of the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race – an IAAF Bronze label race – have sealed an agreement with MYLAPS Sports Timing for the May 7, 2016 event.
MYLAPS, a Dutch internationally-recognised automatic sports timing company, will provide the Okpekpe 10km race with an easy to use, accurate and reliable timing system to ensure flawless timing for all the participants during the 2016 road race in Nigeria.
This is the first time a company with such huge credentials and recognition will be providing any athletics event in Nigeria with a world class timing system.
“This is a demonstration of our determination to organise a race worthy of a gold label status. We are stopping at nothing to ensure we meet all the requirements for the organisation of the only IAAF bronze label race in Africa in 2016,” said Dare Esan, spokesman for the race.
Esan reveals that one of the conditions an IAAF labelled race must fulfil is to ensure an adequate timing system is put in place.
“According to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), races must provide fully electronic timing by use of active or passive transponders, and real-time splits and final results should be made available to media, spectators and online.
“To ensure this is done we have gone for a company whose founders invented some 33 years ago automatic sports timing and today most events like some of the world’s greatest marathons like Boston, Rotterdam and Melbourne marathons that previously used stopwatches and thumbs to keep track of results now rely on MYLAPS technology.
“We recognise our position as the leading road race in Nigeria and one of only two in Africa this year and to confirm this status we have to join the MYLAPS Sports Timing family.
“They will be responsible for the production of the results for the race. We shall be using the MYLAPS BibTag System at the race and all the athletes will simply wear their bibs as they are used to – visibly on their chest – and they will be able to view their results directly after the event.
“They don’t need to wait for anybody to tell them whether they have broken the course record or have recorded an area record or personal best. Through MYLAPS Sports Timing athletes can record lap times, collect performance data,” Esan explained.
Meanwhile MYLAPS Sports Timing company have expressed their happiness at becoming the official timing company for the okpekpe race.
The company said in a statement that they are “proud to announce that the Okpekpe road race in Nigeria has signed a deal with MYLAPS and will be using the MYLAPS BibTag System at the upcoming Okpekpe Run”.
Meet The Authors
Mr Eludini is a Nigerian-based journalist and news researcher with a passion for athletics and football. Tunde is a staff reporter for Premium Times newspaper, and also a regular contributor to AthleticsAfrica.
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